The genealogical book analyzes the myth of a vast unclaimed fortune associated with William Carpenter’s American descendants, revealing it as a fabrication. James Usher details various branches of the Carpenter family, including Samuel Carpenter of Pennsylvania, William Carpenter of Massachusetts, Ephraim, Timothy and Josias Carpenter, of New York, and William Carpenter of Rhode Island.
William Wilson, the pioneer ancestor of this family, emigrated from Stewardstown, County of Tyrone, Ireland, in 1732, when 19 years of age. The Town of Stewardstown is in the parish of Donagheny in the province of Ulster and eighty-two miles northwest of Dublin, long noted for its very superior linen cloth.
John P. Thomy, born on June 10, 1880, in Riga, Livonia, became a notable figure in St. Louis’s business and musical communities. Following his father’s death, he immigrated to the U.S. in 1895. Thomy had a diverse career in manufacturing and sales, ultimately becoming president of the National Pigment Chemical Company in 1921. He married Ethel Vera Lawrence and has three children. An avid music lover, Thomy also actively contributed to civic organizations and supported war efforts during World War I, earning respect for his integrity and generosity.